Device for melting sealing-wax



(No ModeL) N. BIMBERG. DEVICE FOR MELTING SEALING WAX.

No. 554,645. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

. a construction which will permit the stick of NATHAN BIMBERG, OF

DEVICE FOR MELTl NITED STATES ELMIRA, NEWV YORK.

NG SEALING-WAX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,645, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed June 12,1894. Serial No. 514,272. (NomodeL) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NATHAN BIMBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmira, in the county of Ohemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Melting Sealing-Wax; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a device intended more particularly for use in melting sealingwax in sealing samples of unmanufactured leaftobacco, although it can be employed for melting sealing-wax for other uses.

The invention has for its object to provide sealing-wax to be held at such a distance from the wick of the heater that the possibility of the wax getting on the wick and destroying the efficiency of the latter and operativeness of the device is absolutely prevented, the flame of the wick being projected or extended by an air-blast, which will direct the flame against the stick of wax so as to melt the latter, in order that it may be applied to effect the seal.

Heretofore in practicing my occupation of official sampler of leaf-tobacco I have experienced the usual existing difficulties and inconveniences attending the use of the ordinary wick burner or heater for melting the wax in the act of applying the seal to the samples of leaf-tobacco after the tobacco has been inspected and the sample selected and the tag bearing the case-number, weight, and tare of the case has been applied and secured by a tape in the usual 'way. One of the annoyances most frequently experienced is the wax getting onto the wick, thus practically reducing the burning area of the wick, rendering the flame smaller and consequently requiring a longer time to melt the wax, which results in the loss of time, which is an important item where a large number of these samples of leaf-tobacco have to be selected, marked and sealed in a day.

In order to overcome the inconveniences and objections mentioned and referred to, and to obtain the results specified, the invention consists in the construction and in the combination of parts hereinafter particularly described and then sought to be specifically defined by the claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective of my device and of a sample of leaf-tobacco supplied with the tag and tape applied, and illustrating the manner of using the device in applying the seal; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the device, showing the air-blast bulb and pipe or tube in full lines.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a sample of unmanufactured leaf-tobacco which is tied at the butt by the cord 2 and provided 7: with the tag 3 on which is to be inscribed, as usual, the case-number, weight, and tare of the case, the said tag being secured to the sample by the tape 4 whose ends are sealed by the wax-seal 5, as usual.

The numeral 6 designates a can, cup or receptacle of any approved pattern and dimensions which is provided with the wick-tube 7, a handle 8 and a filling-opening 9 closed by a screw-cap 10. Through the tube 7 is passed the wick 11 which extends down into the receptacle 6 which is supplied, as usual, with alcohol.

The parts so far described may illustrate the heater commonly used for melting the wax.

Under the construction so far described it is necessary in melting the sealing-wax to bring the wax quite close to the wick at the end of the tube 7, and this results in the an- 0 noyances and inconveniences referred to.

For the purpose of removing the sealingwax away from the wick and yet have it within the range of the flame, I extend an air pipe or tube 12 lengthwise through the 5 wick-tube 7, and to its rear end, which lies outside of the receptacle 6, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, I connect an air-bulb 13, which may be of any ordinary and well-known construction, the connection of the bulb to the tube 12 preferably being eifected by means of the flexible tube 14, which may be fittted over the end of the tube 12, as illustrated. The air-bulb 13 will lie in the flame a distance sufticient to strike the stick of sealing-wax 15, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The flame being thus projected with some force by the air-blast against the stick of sealing-wax, quickly melts the wax, which drops onto the binding-tape 4, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and thus allows the sealing of the sample to be completed. By thus projecting the flame by the air-blastl am not only enabled to remove the sealing-wax farther from the wick, so as to avoid the dropping or contact of the wax with the wick, but also am enabled to more quickly melt the wax by the flame and blast of hot air against the same, thus rendering the operation more speedy than otherwise. It will also be observed that by bringing the airbulb in proximity to the handle of the can or receptacle I am enabled to operate the bulb and regulate the force of the blast by the same hand which holds the can or receptacle.

For the purpose of threading the wick into the wick-tube 7 and around the air pipe or tube therein, I employ a wire 16, the outer end of which will be attached to the fold or other part of the wick and then by pulling on the opposite end of the wire the wick will be drawn through the wick-tube in to the can or receptacle, and when that wick is entirely consumed another will be inserted in place by means of the wire 16 or its equivalent. This wire is preferably passed through the screw-cap which closes the filling-opening in the can or receptacle.

I have shown and described an ordinary rubber air-bulb as the means for creating the blast of air, but it is obvious that any other equivalent air-forcing device may be employed. I have also shown and described with particularity the preferred construction and arrangement of the several parts, but my invention is not limited to such details, as the same may be varied without departing from the essential features of the invention.

The device described is simple in construction,efficientin operation,easilymanipulated, and not liable to get out of order.

Having thus described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim is The device for melting sealing-wax in applying seals, consisting of the receptacle provided with a wick-tube and a projecting handle, an air-tube terminating at one end near the end of the wick-tube and atthe other end connected to a flexible tube, and an airbulb connected bysaid flexible tube with the air-tube and lying so that both the handle and bulb may be grasped by the hand in operating the device, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NATHAN BIMBERG. \Vitnesses':

Fnnmc C. OGDEN, J. C. FYBUsH. 

